Almost two years ago, American actress, filmmaker and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie, shocked the world when she disclosed that she underwent a double mastectomy due to the risk of breast cancer.
A few months back, Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone revealed that she had been suffering from depression and had been on medication.
[fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153174881635798"][/fbvideo]
Jolie again stunned the world by revealing that, recently, she had her ovaries removed. Two of her letters published in The New York Times, the recent one on March 24, 2015, was solely aimed at informing and encouraging women, who suffer from cancer, motivating them towards dealing with its physical and psychological effects.
These actresses, sharing their vulnerable side, have helped millions of fans understand that anyone can go through such ailments and that there is no shame in opting for the required treatment, irrespective of how unconventional it may be.
Jolie’s letter is a ray of hope for women around the world. She opened her personal life to the world, in the hopes of providing other women the support they need to fight their problems. For many, she is the epitome of beauty, but it was after she removed parts of her body and still stood tall against conventional notions of the perfect female figure, that she became beautiful for me. Jolie sent out a strong message to everyone – a women’s femininity is not related to her body.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women; according to a report, more than 508,000 women died worldwide because of it in 2011. In Pakistan alone, around 40,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, as many as 1.7 million new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in 2012 alone, making it the second most common type of cancer in the world. But it can be prevented and a person can lead a normal life with early detection and treatment.
However, many women are often unable to take drastic steps to fight cancer as aggressively as required. And this is usually because women do not want to face the social stigma that such surgeries and treatments are associated with.
In some societies, when a woman loses a part of her body, she is looked down upon. But going through these surgeries did not make Jolie less of a woman; her womanhood is still intact. She continues to be a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend and a superstar. She is carrying on with her life and has found contentment in the fact that her children will not lose their mother to cancer.
In case of depression, it is believed that depression is twice as common in women as it is in men. Women remain at a high risk of experiencing depression during pregnancy, child-bearing and postpartum period.
Unfortunately, this illness often goes undiagnosed and untreated, particularly in traditional and under developed societies, in which women suffer discrimination and oppression due to their gender. In many villages, young, unmarried women approaching a health specialist for psychological or sexual health problems is still considered taboo. Depression is considered a mental instability and if it is ever disclosed, a woman’s chances of marriage are often hindered, if not completely eliminated. In a society where depression is highly stigmatised, what Padukone has disclosed is an eye opening message to the families of young women in the subcontinent.
In her recent interview with NDTV, Padukone went one step forward to explain her battle against depression. She spoke thoroughly about how, despite having everything in life, she felt empty and directionless, and how her doctors’ and mother’s efforts helped her gradually return to her normal life.
[embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2kez77_i-felt-a-pit-in-my-stomach-i-felt-empty-deepika-padukone-on-her-battle-with-depression_fun[/embed]
The way she used her vulnerability as her strength is inspiring. But the most important factor is that she realised that there are people around the world, exactly like her, who are willing to seek help but are unable, or afraid, to do so because of stigma attached. Thus, she went public in hopes that others may also draw some help and strength from her.
Jolie and Padukone have opened new doors for public debate on these issues and I am thankful to them. To all those suffering from depression or cancer, you should not forget that you are not to surrender but to fight and win. If these women can do it, so can you.

]]>Almost two years ago, American actress, filmmaker and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie, shocked the world when she disclosed that she underwent a double mastectomy due to the risk of breast cancer.
A few months back, Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone revealed that she had been suffering from depression and had been on medication.

Jolie again stunned the world by revealing that, recently, she had her ovaries removed. Two of her letters published in The New York Times, the recent one on March 24, 2015, was solely aimed at informing and encouraging women, who suffer from cancer, motivating them towards dealing with its physical and psychological effects.
These actresses, sharing their vulnerable side, ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26911/if-angelina-jolie-and-deepika-padukone-can-do-it-so-can-you/feed/0noreply@tribune.com.pk (Nadia Agha)deeps and angPHOTO: REUTERSWe do not need ‘billis’ to flaunt our ‘jawani’ in Lollywoodhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26910/we-do-not-need-billis-to-flaunt-our-jawani-in-lollywood/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26910/we-do-not-need-billis-to-flaunt-our-jawani-in-lollywood/#commentsMon, 30 Mar 2015 12:56:01 +0000Shumaila Hussain Shahanihttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/2425/shumaila-hussain-shahani/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/2425.thumbnail.jpeghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26910

After successfully objectifying women in the ‘100 glorious years of Indian cinema’, Bollywood now recognises its part in influencing commoners, what till now has been ‘a bad influence’. It took Bollywood God knows how many Jyoti Singhs to realise what a mess their sexist approach in cinema has caused in populous India.
I feel sorry for them. I feel sorry that our neighbours are in trouble; our fellow women are not safe. But at the moment, I’m more concerned about how all this affects Pakistan. Our cinema is going through an interesting phase of its revival, but the same sexist approach has come to trouble us too. Recent series of item numbers in almost every newly released and upcoming Lollywood movie are examples of this approach. You don’t have to be a conservative to understand why an item number is offensive and insulting to a woman.
It offends me because:
1. We, women, are not ‘items’ or ‘objects’; we are as human as any gender.
2. Women are not Munnis or Sheilas or Billis (their Pakistani counterpart).
3. Women are not “gutka (tobacco) available for chewing”.
4. We do not go around flaunting our “jawan (young) bodies”.
[embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x25fdm0_billi-song-mehwish-hayat-na-maloom-afraad_music[/embed]
I am a liberal who defended Humaima Malick’s right to do the song Namak Paare – because it fitted the role of a bar dancer – as much as I defended Fawad Khan’s right to do a shirtless scene in Khoobsurat. I love Sonam Kapoor and Vidya Balan for their choice of women-centric films, like Dirty Picture. But the makers of unnecessary item numbers are those ‘hypocrite liberals’ who never consider us women as equal to them and use women as ‘objects’ to attract audiences. Some recent examples are the item songs in Pakistani movies Karachi se Lahore, Jalaibee and the not too old, Na Maloom Afraad.
Karachi se Lahore released its teaser on March 21, 2015. What is sad and sickening is that the 14-second teaser only includes glimpses of Ayesha Omar as an item girl and ends with the title poster of the film.
[embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2k4b69_ayesha-omar-item-song-in-movie-karachi-se-lahore_shortfilms#from=embediframe[/embed]
What a great way to tease the crowd… Right?
It seems that the purpose of the teaser was to tell the world that Bulbulay’s Khoobsurat has a bellybutton too.
Jalaibee, on the other hand, can be defended by the fact that they showed decent clothing in an item song. Recently, Pakistani heartthrob Hamza Ali Abbasi was quoted as saying:

“I am tremendously proud of Zhalay Sarhadi for not taking her clothes off in her performance in the film. Proud of Yasir Jaswal for not going along with the emerging trend of revealing ‘item numbers’ in Pakistan films.”

But let me put this in plain words for all those people out there whose primary focus remains women’s clothing. An appropriate choice of clothing does not cover for a woman made to flaunt her ‘jawani’. The problem here is not the clothes but the portrayal of a woman of Pakistani society, who is seen dancing, while being ogled by men, to lyrics such as:

[embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2j8ayv_jawani-hd-video-song-jalaibee-2015-zhalay-sarhadi-new-item-song-2015_music[/embed]
Have they ever tried to tease the audience by releasing a teaser where a man is seen ‘revealing’ his body while being ogled by women? Can’t even imagine that, can you? That’s probably because it is women who are born to entertain men, be it in a marriage or a bar – not the other way around.
To clarify my stance, I’m not against our movies covering taboo issues; I appreciate how themes like sexual abuse and racism, which are rather neglected in the much open-minded neighbouring India, are successfully addressed in our society via movies and dramas. But while our drama industry is praised across the border for showing the strength of womanhood, our film industry is keen on copying Bollywood’s sexist approach to women, for reasons unknown.
Despite my disagreement with Abbasi’s stance on Sarhadi’s song, I am proud of the Pyare Afzal star simply because he admitted to romancing ‘with women in bikinis in an upcoming comedy film’ and pledged to ‘never to do it again’ for it is against our culture and values.
Music and art are a reflection of a society’s traditions and values, and currently, our songs portray a woman’s image as:

“Gutka main hun chaba le, Baaja main hun baja”
(Chew me as I am tobacco and blow me as I am a trumpet)

Somebody please explain to me, when and how did such item numbers become a necessity for our society, our cinema? Are we not done copying Bollywood yet? Aren’t Bollywood item songs linked to increasing ‘rape culture’ in India?
Namrata Joshi, a senior associate editor at Outlook India, talks about the choreography of item songs in these words,

“The choreography is similar across most (item) songs: one semi-clad women getting leered at by several men, being objectified for the consumption of men and talked of as some kind of dish.”

“It (item song) is an unequal sexuality, where one is the subject and the other, the object. The woman is naked, the man fully dressed. There is no mutuality. The woman sells and the man consumes.”

Is this what we are choosing for our society too?
For the love of God, spare us!
I am a Pakistani woman and I am not a gutka available for chewing.
AfterBol and Waar, we all have high hopes from Lollywood. A woman does not always have to be ‘the glamour’ and the hero’s love interest in a movie. There is much more to a woman than that and there is a lot more that women can do. India has realised this and item songs, that are great career boosters for actresses, are now being frowned upon. First it was Ayesha Takia, then Kareena Kapoor and now it’s Kangana Ranaut among the B-town beauties who have reportedly rejected offers of item numbers.
I agree with the idea that a movie does not always have to be a dark and depressing like Bol, but since when does colourful and fun mean an exposed woman? I really thought our Pakistani industry had that elegance and class that would provide women a well-deserved place in our industry.
If you still don’t understand why the recent trend of item numbers in Pakistani cinema should offend you as a woman, watch this video.]]>After successfully objectifying women in the ‘100 glorious years of Indian cinema’, Bollywood now recognises its part in influencing commoners, what till now has been ‘a bad influence’. It took Bollywood God knows how many Jyoti Singhs to realise what a mess their sexist approach in cinema has caused in populous India.
I feel sorry for them. I feel sorry that our neighbours are in trouble; our fellow women are not safe. But at the moment, I’m more concerned about how all this affects Pakistan. Our cinema is going through an interesting phase of its revival, but the same sexist approach has come to trouble us too. Recent ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26910/we-do-not-need-billis-to-flaunt-our-jawani-in-lollywood/feed/27noreply@tribune.com.pk (Shumaila Hussain Shahani)item songs copyYou don’t have to be a conservative to understand why an item number is offensive and insulting to a woman.The greater evil, Western hypocrisy or the ISIS?http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26498/the-greater-evil-western-hypocrisy-or-the-isis/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26498/the-greater-evil-western-hypocrisy-or-the-isis/#commentsSun, 29 Mar 2015 07:00:34 +0000Abdullah Ansarihttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/1124/abdullah-ansari/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/1124.thumbnail.jpghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26498

Are they crazy?
Insane?
Traumatised?
Or hypnotised?
Who can think of leaving behind the luxurious life of western countries, including Scandinavia, and end up in a region where even getting a continuous supply of electricity is a rarity, where the western concept of freedom completely seizes to exist, and you simply do not know whether the next bomb hitting the ground will turn your surroundings into a pile of rubble.
How on earth can somebody think of leaving Australia for countries such as Syria and Iraq, which are ISIS controlled territories, when on the other hand, educated Muslims such as the ones from Pakistan are looking to immigrate to Australia as a purpose of life.
If the above mentioned incident is not enough to push you towards critically analysing world politics, the following event may help you decide.

“Fifteen-year-old left home after 18 months of sadness following death of mother from cancer and father getting remarried” – The Guardian, UK

Majority of the masses, driven by western media, are content with the American narrative that defines these migrants as brain-washed; a term that is practically used to define anyone who strongly opposes the American narrative of war on terror.
However, there are some serious and sensible thinkers in the East and West alike, who are genuinely interested in finding out the answers to these critical questions rather than pushing the agenda-driven-media story line.
Interestingly, if you look closely at the western narrative of ISIS, women are presented as the most oppressed and exploited faction amongst the ISIS setup. Stories of women being used as slaves are narrated with complete authenticity. As a result of this propaganda, women, especially young women, should be least likely to join the ISIS. However, the following incident indicates otherwise:

So, why this is happening?
After ‘Jihadi John’, the migration of three young girls from the UK to the ISIS declared caliphate has reignited the above stated questions.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) views the ISIS phenomenon in isolation, which proves to be a huge mistake while analysing the situation.
Do you support ISIS or not?
Do you support the beheading of the Japanese inmate?
Do you condemn what ISIS did with the Jordanian pilot?
These types of questions do not cover the entire scenario and are being used to access the situation by discussing events in isolation.
The emergence of ISIS is a reaction to what has been happening in the Middle East for decades. World powers, time and again, have proven that what matters to them most is their own interest and they can go down to every low to achieve that.
So it is alright if Bashar al Assad’s regime keeps butchering Muslims with barrel bombs on a daily basis, while using rape and hunger as weapons against those who do not support his regime. His hired animals will go to any extreme to torture others and not always for the sole purpose for extracting information.
Such inhumane and brutal acts under his regime are taken lightly, whereas his opponents, mainly the ISIS, are defined as terrorist regime, with not even a quarter of the crimes Bashar has committed.
Iraq was turned into pile of flesh and blood, with millions killed in the name of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), which were never found. Millions were brutally killed in carpet bombings because of some false CIA report published by the US. Also, look at the responsible attitude of the US – a movie called ‘American Sniper’ was released, glorifying murder and terror, rather than condemning it.
For the US, removing Saddam and ‘gifting’ democracy to Iraq was important for the wellbeing of Iraqis, which goes to that is how much they love Iraq.
However, when the same democracy resulted in Morsi’s victory in Egypt, all their love for democracy vanished into thin air as the west decided to side with al-Sisis regime. The worst part is that this is still going on.
All these hypocritical policies of the West have planted a thought in the minds of Muslims – if anyone stands with Muslims and Islam, they will be maligned, defamed, and opposed by the west.
The situation is so intense that even if the West starts supporting any Muslim leader, it puts that leader’s commitment with Muslims in question.
If you roam around the streets of Pakistan and ask people about their favourite international leader, you will find Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Morsi at the top of their list. If you ask them about the achievements of Ahmadinejad, you will find the answers nonsensical. His popularity is increased due to him passing statements against Western hegemony.
The western propaganda machine is in full swing against the ISIS but it is actually working the other way around. The more the west maligns the ISIS, while keeping her hypocritical policies in place, the stronger the position of ISIS becomes.
Jürgen Todenhöfer, a German journalist, who visited the ISIS declared caliphate, stated that the most striking fact according to him was that they had recruits from all around the world and they were not there by force, they came by choice; they took the risk of leaving their home countries to join the ISIS.
The other startling feature was the enthusiasm of people who migrated.
Do not get me wrong, I am not with the ISIS, not at all. But I also do not support the western narrative of the situation.
If the West wants to stop this migration, it has to stop its hypocrisy first. It needs to stop meddling with the affairs of Muslim countries. It has to refrain from their on-going practice of directing people how to live their lives. Let the people decide what is right and wrong. And please, everybody in this world does not need your beloved democracy. Stop using B-52’s and mass killings to impose this ideology on others.
There is no computer in the world which can ‘brainwash’ people; people think for themselves and come to a valid conclusion. If it is not the same conclusion you have in mind, it is not being brainwashed; it is just being different.]]>“Third teenager has been caught trying to flee Australia to join Islamic State” – Daily Mail, UK
Are they crazy?
Insane?
Traumatised?
Or hypnotised?
Who can think of leaving behind the luxurious life of western countries, including Scandinavia, and end up in a region where even getting a continuous supply of electricity is a rarity, where the western concept of freedom completely seizes to exist, and you simply do not know whether the next bomb hitting the ground will turn your surroundings into a pile of rubble.
How on earth can somebody think of leaving Australia for countries such as Syria and Iraq, which are ISIS ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26498/the-greater-evil-western-hypocrisy-or-the-isis/feed/9noreply@tribune.com.pk (Abdullah Ansari)isis afpScreen grab from a propaganda video uploaded on 11 June 2014 by jihadist group the Islami. PHOTO: AFPAnushka Sharma is Pakistan’s mauka mauka!http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26870/anushka-sharma-is-pakistans-mauka-mauka/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26870/anushka-sharma-is-pakistans-mauka-mauka/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 10:31:57 +0000Zahra Peer Mohammedhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/663/zahra-peer/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/663.thumbnail.jpghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26870

According to Twitter, it appears that Anushka Sharma is the solitary reason behind India crashing out of the Word Cup in the semi-final.
She is also to be held accountable for her beau Virat Kohli scoring only one run and dropping a catch in the vital match against Australia. Because logically, if she hadn’t been there, Kohli would have surely gone on to score a double century and would have, obviously, taken all 10 wickets too.
It does appear that Anushka is Pakistan’s ‘mauka mauka’. Pakistan should have paid for her airfare to witness our game against India on February 15th but alas we let this maukaslip by — if only we had a little more foresight. But now that we do know, let us put this very useful woman to work and let’s hire her to be the next Chacha Pakistan, in disguise of course. From now own, Anushka mustmake an appearance at every game Pakistan plays against India. This is clearly the onlyway India can everbe defeated and the only way to ensure that Kohli is limited to just one run per inning.
Problem finally solved!
What’s that you say? Kohli has scored a century in Anushka’s presence at a game at the very same stadium? Oh, that’s of very little significance now because the time you speak of, Anushka was not a magician. She has since then acquired magical powers and is able to, just with the movement of her eyes, make a world class batsman like Kohli play a bad game.
There is no other rational explanation because a sportsman, any sportsman, cannot play a poor shot ever. In fact, I do believe Anushka was in the crowd when Sachin Tendulkar was out for a duck against Pakistan. Scrap that actually. It makes no sense. She was most definitely a spectator all 20 times that Sachin was out for a duck. Yes, of course, that’s what must have happened for sure.
https://twitter.com/SirZaidHamid/status/581017767081476097
https://twitter.com/DrGarekar/status/581024332643577856
https://twitter.com/SirRamizRaja/status/581035735043686400
https://twitter.com/SirJadeja/status/581019571290669056
Some may suggest that the Twitterati firestorm against Anushka is sexist. I, for one, totally disagree. I feel as though the people behind the onslaught are paying Anushka a very high compliment in suggesting that she can so control one of the best batsmen the world has ever seen. To be able to manage such a feat would imply that one is a very powerful and capable woman indeed, so more power to women and way to go Anushka. Pakistan, and it appears Australia, needs many, many more women like you; women who have the remarkable ability to make India lose a game.
[fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1527258587522980&pnref=story"][/fbvideo]
If India won’t have you, we will gladly accept you with open arms.
https://twitter.com/AatifAzio/status/581045174979010561
Hop along the border and accept the role of Pakistan’s mauka maukabecause if it isn’t you, it can’t be anything or anyone else. Duh.
https://twitter.com/Ya5ir_/status/581060851999723521
This post originally appearedhere.

]]>According to Twitter, it appears that Anushka Sharma is the solitary reason behind India crashing out of the Word Cup in the semi-final.
She is also to be held accountable for her beau Virat Kohli scoring only one run and dropping a catch in the vital match against Australia. Because logically, if she hadn’t been there, Kohli would have surely gone on to score a double century and would have, obviously, taken all 10 wickets too.
It does appear that Anushka is Pakistan’s ‘mauka mauka’. Pakistan should have paid for her airfare to witness our game against India on February 15th but alas we let this mauka slip by — if only we had a little more ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26870/anushka-sharma-is-pakistans-mauka-mauka/feed/8noreply@tribune.com.pk (Zahra Peer Mohammed)anushkaSome may suggest that the Twitterati firestorm against Anushka Sharma is sexist. PHOTO: DAILYMOTION SCREENSHOTMaking a mockery of legal procedure in the Saulat Mirza trialhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26826/making-a-mockery-of-legal-procedure-in-the-saulat-mirza-trial/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26826/making-a-mockery-of-legal-procedure-in-the-saulat-mirza-trial/#commentsWed, 25 Mar 2015 11:25:30 +0000Ali Lahootihttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/2417/ali-lahooti/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/2417.thumbnail.jpghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26826

Recently, the focus of all media mediums was thestatementof a convicted prisoner and target killer, Saulat Mirza, who was arrested for murder charges and was scheduled to be executed on death row on March 19, 2015. Interestingly, the confession was made hours before his execution, which waspostponedon the government’s order for 72 hours and then later to April 1, 2015.
[embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jxtye[/embed]
While watching various talk shows and social media discussions on this issue, I was surprised to see how a majority of the people who were unaware of what the abbreviation CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code) even stood for were passing judgement and participating in the discussion. For those unacquainted with the law, I would like to inform them that the moment a person is arrested for any criminal offence – from the time an FIR is registered till the time the person is convicted or acquitted – the legal procedure is bound under the laws of the CrPC which define each and every step of the trial.
As a litigation lawyer, I am going to discuss certain details of the case which will shed some light on how the criminal procedure in our country works.
Recently, MQM senator, Barrister Farogh Naseem, said in a press conference that Mirza’s confessional video bears no legal standing, is illegal and against the constitution as well as international law. I would like to add to his statement that it is also against the procedure of criminal prosecution, especially keeping in mind that a similar type of confessional video was released about 17 years ago. The prosecution never considered it and preferred itself confined to whatever is mentioned in the FIR and the investigation report, which we normally call charge-sheet.
Those, especially TV anchors and their guests, who are now claiming that Mirza should be produced before a judicial magistrate and his statement should be recorded as per Section 164 of the CrPC, and those who are saying that a new FIR should be lodged against the person he named in his statement, are just trying to malign the criminal prosecution. Through their inexperienced analysis, they are also admitting that Mirza’s conviction was not justified and hence are questioning the criminal prosecution procedure of our country.
After a person is arrested for any offence and an FIR is lodged against him, the accused has three opportunities when he can admit to his crime. In Mirza’s case, the first opportunity was when he was under investigation. During this period, if he were to confess to the crime, he would have produced evidence, which he has now, before a magistrate as per Section 164. The provisions of Section 164 clearly explain that a confession can only be taken into consideration “before commencement of trial”.
Those who are currently claiming that Mirza’s statement can help his case now should know that the trial has not only commenced but has been confirmed by the high court, supreme court and the president of Pakistan. Therefore, the magistrate, being at the bottom of the judicial hierarchy in this case, cannot supersede the verdict passed by higher judiciaries nor is it allowed as per the CrPC. Hence, his statement cannot oppose the decision.
The second opportunity when a person’s confession is considered is during trial. During this period, the alleged convict can also name other accused persons involved in the crime and the court has power to call those persons and convict them as per Section 242 of the CrPC. A charge-sheet is then produced and presented by the prosecution based on the allegations and the court then individually asks each of the accused whether he/she admits to the crime or not. In Mirza’s case, Mirza denied the allegations and preferred to be tried. On his denial, the prosecution was directed to produce the required evidence and witnesses before court.
The third and final chance, as per Section 342 of the CrPC, is before the court passes a verdict. The judge asks the accused whether he finds himself guilty or not guilty on the basis of the depositions of the witnesses and other evidence. In Mirza’s case, Mirza again denied all the allegations, despite the witnesses and evidence against him. According to him, he was a victim of circumstances and that the prosecution failed to produce any concrete evidence to prove his guilt in the offence. The court then convicted him and this is called the “commencement of trial”.
Those who are suggesting that a new FIR should be lodged based on Mirza’s recent statement, perhaps they can also tell us who the complainant is going to be? Will it be the state itself or will it be Saulat Mirza?
The new FIR will be in violation of section 403 of the CrPC. Section 403 contemplates a situation where a person has once been tried by a court of competent jurisdiction and acquitted or convicted by such cannot be tried again for the same offence nor for any other offence based on similar facts. Hence, lodging a new FIR will create more legal lacunas.
On the basis of these allegations, they can malign their opponents on media or social media. Those who are not informed about legal issues can get ratings and appreciations from likeminded people, but they are also making a mockery of the legal procedure and the law itself.

]]>Recently, the focus of all media mediums was the statement of a convicted prisoner and target killer, Saulat Mirza, who was arrested for murder charges and was scheduled to be executed on death row on March 19, 2015. Interestingly, the confession was made hours before his execution, which was postponed on the government’s order for 72 hours and then later to April 1, 2015.
While watching various talk shows and social media discussions on this issue, I was surprised to see how a majority of the people who were unaware of what the abbreviation CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code) even stood for were passing judgement and ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26826/making-a-mockery-of-legal-procedure-in-the-saulat-mirza-trial/feed/2noreply@tribune.com.pk (Ali Lahooti)858530-saulatmirza-1427235836-509-640x480The confession was made hours before his execution, which was postponed on the government’s order for 72 hours and then later to April 1, 2015. PHOTO: YOUTUBE SCREENSHOTFriends or Modern Family, which comedy genre do you like?http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26001/friends-or-modern-family-which-comedy-genre-do-you-like/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26001/friends-or-modern-family-which-comedy-genre-do-you-like/#commentsMon, 23 Mar 2015 19:01:33 +0000Adnan Anwarhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/2052/adnan-anwar/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/2052.thumbnail.jpghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26001

Before I start, let me first explain the two genres of comedy shows.
There is the single-camera setup, which has no ‘laugh track’, similar to a regularly shot TV drama. And then there is the multi-camera setup, which is shot in front of a live audience and does have a ‘laugh track’, often contributed by the audience in front of whom it is filmed.
However, as times are changing, more and more networks are shifting to extravagant yet easier ways of shooting comedies. And who can blame them? After all, when you have to shoot in front of an audience, you risk a lot. The cost and time needed to continuously reorganise the set as per the script-demands, with the added issue of the joke not being ‘funny’ enough for an audience, could damage the morale of the producers and actors.
Actor William Shatner aka Captain Kirk, complained about not getting adequate responses from the audience continuously on his show $#*! My Dad Says. The producers used to run up to him all the time to work on the joke again until the audience finally laughed. Imagine Captain Kirk having trouble pleasing his audience!
Also, with the advent of amazing shows like Modern Familyand 30 Rock, the monopoly of live audience sitcoms has been damaged. The monopoly that started in the late 1980s and remained till the early 2000s, thanks to shows like Seinfeldand Friends,is now somewhat suffering.
Here are the awards shared between your single-camera setup comedies (without a laugh track) versus multi-camera setup comedies (with a laugh track) between the years 2000 and 2014. I have taken data from the two awards that matter most in television: the Golden Globes and the Emmys.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]*LT stands for ‘laugh track’ or multi-camera setup shows. No LT means ‘no laugh track’ or single-camera setups. **GLEE is not necessarily a comedy but the award category says musicals and comedy.[/caption]
The single-camera setup shows have enjoyed their overwhelming success. In fact, when it comes to the Golden Globes, the multi-camera setup genre has not won a single award.
But is it fair to judge a show based on just a couple of awards?
No. Not at all.
In fact, I for one enjoy the laugh-track loaded sitcoms a lot more. The way the audience changes its expressions and laughs at a good joke is always enjoyable. But the multi-camera setup still packs a punch with its – albeit few – good sitcoms.
So what should you go for?
Well, it depends. If you want to enjoy great acting combined with amazing locations and a great cast, then the single-camera setup without a laugh track is the thing for you. Shows like Veep, Episodes, Brooklyn Nine-Nineand of course, the king of comedy lately, Modern Family, will definitely fulfil your appetite.
However, if you have had a dull day and want to laugh like anything (because jokes of multi-camera are funnier) or are short of time, a multi-camera setup with a laugh track is the thing for you. My preference of such shows would be The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Melissa and Joeyand please, if you haven’t watched it already, you have to watch Friends before all of these shows to really get a taste of a multi-camera show with a laugh track.

]]>Before I start, let me first explain the two genres of comedy shows.
There is the single-camera setup, which has no ‘laugh track’, similar to a regularly shot TV drama. And then there is the multi-camera setup, which is shot in front of a live audience and does have a ‘laugh track’, often contributed by the audience in front of whom it is filmed.
However, as times are changing, more and more networks are shifting to extravagant yet easier ways of shooting comedies. And who can blame them? After all, when you have to shoot in front of an audience, you risk ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26001/friends-or-modern-family-which-comedy-genre-do-you-like/feed/3noreply@tribune.com.pk (Adnan Anwar)tv shows copylately with the advent of amazing shows like Modern Family and 30 Rock, the monopoly of live audience sitcoms has been damaged. PHOTOs: IMDBEverything I hate about the Pakistani fashion industryhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26796/everything-i-hate-about-the-pakistani-fashion-industry/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26796/everything-i-hate-about-the-pakistani-fashion-industry/#commentsSat, 21 Mar 2015 11:34:21 +0000Saba Khalidhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/481/saba-khalid/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/481.thumbnail.jpghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26796

If you are a young struggling female journalist in Pakistan with big dreams of reporting stories that matter, you will probably spend a few years reporting all the stories that don’t matter!
Among all those literary masterpieces you pen will be an array of pieces on:

You will get to meet loads of glazed out designers and hear them talk about a lawn jora like it’s the cure for cancer. You’ll learn to thoosofy the words “sartorial”, “quirky”, “edgy” and “aesthetic” in every headline.
For instance:

Don’t worry if you have seen said ‘aesthetic’ at Ashiana, Gulf, Tariq Road, and even on runways in Paris and New York. You don’t want to be kicked out from the fashion weeks and have nothing to report on, do you?
So here is a list of things I learnt and grew to hate from my time reporting on fashion in Pakistan:
1. The blow-dry begums and golden gurriyas
Making your hair fancy in Pakistan means one thing – burn/bleach your hair with peroxide and then stiffen it further with an over-the-top Bridget Bardot-curly blow-dry. It’s the ultimate go-to hairstyle for celebs and socialites. You’ll hardly ever see a successful, “fashionable” Pakistani woman at an event sporting a messy bun, a pixie, a Mohawk or maybe even a hat.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Saba Khalid[/caption]
Need help replicating the look; refer to Good Times and Sunday Times galleries for inspiration. Add fake or real LV bag to complete look. Botox on your face is hazb-zaiqa!2. The conventional (read: boring) models
I don’t encourage underage anorexic models and it’s completely okay if majority of Pakistani female models are old enough to have grandkids who can model themselves for teen brands. They can slowly sashay on the runway with a walking stick for all I care. They can wear flats if it helps their arthritis, it doesn’t matter to me!
What really bothers me is the fact that they’re so darn catalogue-y and conventional looking. Internationally, you’ve got diverse and striking models with rare skin conditions, plus-sized models, petite models, models with prosthetic legs, transgender models, full-body tattooed models, Albino models. But a dark-skinned model is the ‘edgiest’ a model can be in Pakistan.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Saba Khalid[/caption]
3. The trashy ill-fitting western wear attempts
Pakistani designers, let’s admit something. You can’t do western wear. So that little black dress you made with jamawar looks like the model is wearing her nani’s tikozi. So please, put your scissors away because that chunri jumpsuit looks like rainbow barf. You’re good at eastern wear, embrace your niche and stick to it.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Saba Khalid[/caption]
And socialites please accept something. All the western wear you wear from Pakistani designers fits badly and looks ugly. If you really want to farangi it out, get your western attire from abroad or stick to the ikka dukka high street international brands available locally.
4. Feminine clothing for men
Yes, we know you designers want to be avant garde and all that jazz! And it’s hard to be that way with the eastern silhouette for men. But it’s unfair to send a male model down the runway with a tika,gharara and dupatta. It’s wrong and evil! And because of you, the model’s parents pretend they don’t know him in public or on Facebook.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Saba Khalid[/caption]
5. How un-fashionable the fashion journalists are
So many people with no fashion background or good taste are reporting on fashion that it baffles me. The list includes me! It baffles me even more how easily fashion journalists are bought! Send a girl a free bag and she’ll write an erotic 50 shades series on your label.
FYI, this pointer should serve as a reminder to NEFER and Rema, still waiting on those bags ladies!
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Saba Khalid[/caption]
6. The pretend friendships and the cattiness
This incident is all too common. A designer in the audience gives a standing ovation for a collection and claps as the bashful designer walks at the end of the show. The lights dim and that same appreciative designer turns to his fashion journalist friend and says:

“Tobah, kitni bakwaas line thee!”
“Good heavens, what a terrible collection that was!”

The fashion-challenged journalist (who is wearing his friend’s design to the event) quickly jots down the comment and trashes that line the next day in her piece.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="581"] Photo: Saba Khalid[/caption]
7. The mafia
It kills me to know that the fashion mafia in Pakistan is so strong that new designers or artists can’t really shine through. Brands tend to work with certain PR companies and these agencies promote certain designers, makeup artists, hairstylists. And these creatives only go on to work with certain models only.
The result of all this mafia business is we only see clones of golden gurriyas, stale fashion and boring models on the runway and red carpet.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Saba Khalid[/caption]
Just like the politics, politicians and the corrupt system of the country, the fashion industry needs an overhaul. Just because your husband or father has the money to buy you a lawn mill and your designer wardrobe, doesn’t make you a designer. And we shouldn’t be swayed to wear whatever atrocities these designers put out as “fashion”.
Sometimes a vintage outfit created from pieces picked out from Sunday Bazaar can be more avant garde and creative than some of the stuff these designers put out. Let’s bring in unconventional looking models, change our limited definition of beauty and support those young struggling designers/artists who can’t catch a break because of the mafia or don’t have daddies and hubbies to support their shauq.]]>If you are a young struggling female journalist in Pakistan with big dreams of reporting stories that matter, you will probably spend a few years reporting all the stories that don’t matter!
Among all those literary masterpieces you pen will be an array of pieces on:
Designers who have made it big
Designers who have not made it big but have a great PR agency
The 4363778 lawn launches
Fashion “weeks” that are three-days long
You will get to meet loads of glazed out designers and hear them talk about a lawn jora like it’s the cure for cancer. You’ll learn to thoosofy the words “sartorial”, “quirky”, “edgy” and “aesthetic” in every headline.
For instance:
“Designer (insert Bawani, Hashwani, ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26796/everything-i-hate-about-the-pakistani-fashion-industry/feed/16noreply@tribune.com.pk (Saba Khalid)fashion cover copyYou’ll learn to thoosofy the words “sartorial”, “quirky”, “edgy” and “aesthetic” in every headline.Will Pakistan ever truly accept its Christian community?http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26746/will-pakistan-ever-truly-accept-its-christian-community/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26746/will-pakistan-ever-truly-accept-its-christian-community/#commentsThu, 19 Mar 2015 11:39:01 +0000Hadeel Naeemhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/1903/hadeel-naeem/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/1903.thumbnail.jpghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26746

I cringe every time I hear the word “minority.” It is true that religiously we are different from Christians, but must we create a social difference too? Minority stands for ‘few’ and the way the term is implied it says ‘with lesser power’. If you find nothing wrong with calling someone “less than” then go ahead and play your part towards fuelling intolerance.
The twin church blast in Lahore caused 14 Christian deaths and around 80 people were injured. An Islamic extremist claimed 14 lives and injured 80 innocent worshippers at a church. Amid the blood, destruction and havoc, the panicky mob lynched two bystanders when one of them was shouting,

We have forgotten about the 14 who were martyred at the hands of Islamic extremists and here we are, attending to the one that was perhaps wrongly killed by a fearful mob.
Later that day, I came across a blog on The Express Tribune, titled ‘Our way or the high way: Vigilante justice for Lahore Church Blast’, and pondered upon the author’s words. She wrote,

“The vulnerable, the helpless, those who happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong appearance; they are the ones deemed as the culprits, the accused, the condemned and, eventually, they are the unheard – under this law of the jungle.”

If your brothers and sisters are lying dead all around you, covered in blood and pain, it is likely that you will act irrationally. No Christian I know would want to do that but I would not be surprised if fear brought out the worst in them.
Together, the media and the nation have ridiculed the Christian community. Only The Express Tribune published photos of the Christian victims of terrorism, reminding people of the smiling faces that died because of extremism, hatred and bigotry.
On Twitter, the hashtag #WeStandWithMinorites began trending, but was commonly followed by an insult or a threat to the Christians of Pakistan.
https://twitter.com/NazranaYusufzai/status/577592658731741184
https://twitter.com/amarbail1/status/577416341566566400
Worst of all, we saw hashtags like #ChristianTerrorism and #WeSupportPunjabPolice. Do not forget that this is the same Punjab Police that failed to provide protection to the church. The same Punjab Police that stood there and did little when the mob burnt a Christian couple in a brick kiln in Kot Radha Kishan. The same Punjab police that can offer us no protection because they cannot protect their own police lines, as we saw at the Gujjar Singh Police lines last month.
The situation took a grotesque turn when things became uncontrollably savage. Buses were attacked, cars were stoned and the flag of the Islamic Republic was set aflame.
https://twitter.com/pmlntrends/status/577451655228235776
https://twitter.com/sikandarkiani/status/577444719560523777
https://twitter.com/SaniRaza/status/578105129896779776
https://twitter.com/muhammadismsclb/status/577553199881584641
It is said that about 4,000 people took to the streets, demolishing public property. Christians and Muslims managed to inflict a lot of damage. Large crowds of violent protestors were seen near Youhanabad, and pictures show that they were pulling down the name “Youhanabad” from the gate.
Besides all the violence, Forman Christian College was open to display a show of solidarity against acts of terrorism. A friend from Forman Christian College told me how people ambushed them by throwing stones at their car when she went to drop her mother to Youhanabad. She said she was consumed by fear her when she heard people shouting,

“Ab nahin choreingey inko.”
(We will not leave them now.)

These gestures and tweets tell us that we never really accepted the Christian community. They will never be a part of Pakistan, because obviously Pakistan ka matlab kya (what does Pakistan mean)?
Let us look beyond religions.
Our government has failed us and this democracy is nothing but a farce. The most basic things – our lives – are not protected. We are all equally vulnerable despite what religion we subscribe to. No churches, no temples and no mosques are safe.
Our schools and our children are not safe. We are citizens of Pakistan, so where then is our fundamental right to life?
Must our humanity be tested this brutally all the time?]]>I cringe every time I hear the word “minority.” It is true that religiously we are different from Christians, but must we create a social difference too? Minority stands for ‘few’ and the way the term is implied it says ‘with lesser power’. If you find nothing wrong with calling someone “less than” then go ahead and play your part towards fuelling intolerance.
The twin church blast in Lahore caused 14 Christian deaths and around 80 people were injured. An Islamic extremist claimed 14 lives and injured 80 innocent worshippers at a church. Amid the blood, destruction and havoc, the panicky mob lynched two bystanders when ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26746/will-pakistan-ever-truly-accept-its-christian-community/feed/6noreply@tribune.com.pk (Hadeel Naeem)pakistani crossThese gestures and tweets tell us that we never really accepted the Christian community. They will never be a part of Pakistan, because obviously Pakistan ka matlab kya (what does Pakistan mean)?Will Patari.pk be successful in a country like Pakistan?http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26707/will-patari-pk-be-successful-in-a-country-like-pakistan/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26707/will-patari-pk-be-successful-in-a-country-like-pakistan/#commentsTue, 17 Mar 2015 19:01:44 +0000Haseeb Sultan Abdulhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/1727/haseeb-sultan-abdul/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/1727.thumbnail.jpghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26707

I like to listen to music, just like anybody else. And like a lot of people out there, I crave a musical atmosphere where I don’t have to listen to Bollywood music blaring out the speakers all the time.
And it makes me wonder, whatever happened to the Pakistani music industry? Did it just die? Are we not good enough? Has everyone abandoned it?
In this social media and gadget-infested world, it is not hard to find answers to these questions. I have had discussions with famous artists about it, talked about this on television and even had drawing room discussions about the state of the essentially Pakistan-grown music. And I have discovered that it’s not as bad as it seems.
There are so many musicians out there trying to make a name for themselves, and are using social media and the internet to put out their work for the world to see. And for them, to come together collectively in order to have a single platform to showcase their work has been the biggest challenge, apart from selling their music.
This is where Patari comes in.
Currently in its beta phase, Patari has brought together numerous musicians to provide a single platform to every musician in Pakistan for people to listen to. They have collaborated with over 80 music labels to bring on board all the musical talent in the country and have worked with great music journalists to curate the playlists currently present on the website.
Breaking down the website for you guys, the part that got me intrigued was their invite. It’s cleverly designed to lure the user into signing up. But the problem right now is that only a limited number of invites were sent, as the website is currently in its beta phase.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="401"] Photo: Patari website[/caption]
As one clicks on and signs up, the website automatically takes you to the ‘Discover’ section where you can find all the genres and choose ones you might be interested in. Apart from the regular genres out there, the ones that caught my attention were ‘Bahngra Pop’, ‘Devotional’ (Sufi music), ‘Naya Pakistan’ and ‘Socio/Political’. With a vast library featuring music categorised according to the kind of lyrics one would want to hear, is something worth checking out.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption]
Checking out the Sufi genre, you will find Arieb Azhar, Ali Zafar, Junoon along with many new artists like Abdullah Qureshi.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption]
As you discover, you will see that there are categorisations according to mood as well. You have, from your ‘Break Up’ playlist to ‘Baarish’ (rain) to ‘Funk’ and playlists curated according to the kind of emotions one might want to indulge in.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption]
The ‘Break Up’ playlist features all cool artists, from Shehzad Roy and Najam Sheraz, to new artists like The Tamaashbeens.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption]
Apart from already present playlists on the website, you can make your own and ‘favourite’ the songs you might want to put on repeat.
There’s also a feature through which artists on board have their bios on their own artist pages. Their songs are categorised according to their albums and are featured on other albums.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption]
With the international market equipped with websites like Spotify, where artists get a part of the revenue generated through subscriptions, Patari.pk is providing local artists an outlet of the same kind. It has a monitisation program through which the artist will get 30% of the cut from Patari’s revenue. This gives hope to upcoming musicians who think that pursuing music is not a financially feasible option.
However, keeping all praise aside, the real issue Patari will have to face is engaging its customers when it goes into its commercial zone.
Will users pay for the music they want to listen to?
Are users willing to pay for something they can surely find on either YouTube or other websites?
In a country like Pakistan, where piracy is at its peak, Patari will definitely face tough competition if it wants to stay relevant. With more of the Pakistani community coming on to social media, how will Patari appeal to the masses once it does decide to go commercial?
Virtual hipsters will pay for the service, but if there’s a simple music lover who can find the things he/she wants on other platforms, how will Patari lure such people into using it? Only time will tell how Patari does in the future, but right now, it looks like something worth appreciating.
Here’s what the Twitterverse is saying about Patari:
https://twitter.com/khatmal23/status/576868153092800512
https://twitter.com/_FatimahAhmed/status/576715442095423488
https://twitter.com/JibbyD/status/576463270439202817
https://twitter.com/tweet_qash/status/576413022899466240
https://twitter.com/Aibasy/status/573222682197684224
From how it’s looking, Patari might just be the thing our Pakistani music industry needs to bring our people out from under the Bollywood rock and back to enjoying our own music. So if you’re craving some great Pakistani music, I suggest you sign up and give this a try. Supporting our music industry is very important and this is where you can do it – so stop complaining about what Pakistan lacks and start appreciating the little things we do have!

]]>I like to listen to music, just like anybody else. And like a lot of people out there, I crave a musical atmosphere where I don’t have to listen to Bollywood music blaring out the speakers all the time.
And it makes me wonder, whatever happened to the Pakistani music industry? Did it just die? Are we not good enough? Has everyone abandoned it?
In this social media and gadget-infested world, it is not hard to find answers to these questions. I have had discussions with famous artists about it, talked about this on television and even had drawing room discussions about ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26707/will-patari-pk-be-successful-in-a-country-like-pakistan/feed/3noreply@tribune.com.pk (Haseeb Sultan Abdul)patari cover copyCurrently in its beta phase, Patari has brought together numerous musicians to provide a single platform to every musician in Pakistan for people to listen to. PHOTO: PATARI WEBSITECaught in Islamabad with sex toys and an abortion clinic – Uh Ohhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26660/caught-in-islamabad-with-sex-toys-and-an-abortion-clinic-uh-oh/
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26660/caught-in-islamabad-with-sex-toys-and-an-abortion-clinic-uh-oh/#commentsSat, 14 Mar 2015 13:29:52 +0000Vaqas Asgharhttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/379/vaqas-asghar/http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/application/../wp-content/uploads/userphoto/vaqas-asghar.thumbnail.jpghttp://blogs.tribune.com.pk/?p=26660

Around 1,000 Pakistani women die every year because of abortion-related complications, and the procedure is often used as a primary family-planning method, rather than a last resort. This is because of a combination between low contraceptiveprevalence, low sexual health awareness, unqualified or illegal medical practitioners and social taboos about topics related to sexuality.
So when a story comes along that allows broader debate on quack abortionists, it is worrying that the approach taken to covering it is one of religious and moral outrage at the ‘unusual’ sexual elements of the story, rather than the life-preserving element.
A recent story about an alleged fake abortion clinic in Islamabad was given a peg based on the allegation that the ‘doctor’ is a lesbian and might also have committed sexual abuse. There was no effort put in to addressing why business is booming for such places, just a moral commentary on the ‘evils’ of homosexuality.
Abortions are only legal in Pakistan to protect the health of the mother, and are generally difficult to get, especially for unmarried women. It does not help that most single women do not want to keep the child for societal or professional reasons, rather than any health related reason.
The story referred to how all of the alleged victims were young women from healthy economic backgrounds, which would imply that they could go to a reputable doctor instead of a shady clinic, unless there was an illegal procedure involved.
There are also numerous references to the fake doctor either seducing her alleged victims or how they were essentially forced to be gay.
Except that you cannot force a sexual preference on someone.
It is not like a personal vice. You can go from non-smoker to smoker and back to non-smoker in a day. But you cannot just flip a switch to ‘turn off the gay’ in someone, simply because it is not an addiction.
Yet, as far as intolerance goes, the piece calls homosexuality an ‘unnatural practice’. If something is occurring regularly in nature, including in human beings, is it really unnatural? Call it rare or uncommon, but calling it unnatural implies it is something that social animals would also ostracise their kith and kin for doing, which does not happen.
British broadcaster and activist, Stephen Fry, once pointed out in an interview that,

“At least 260 species of animal have been noted exhibiting homosexual behaviour but only one species of animal ever, so far as we know, has exhibited homophobic behaviour — and that’s the human being, so ask yourself what’s truly natural.”

What is really surprising is that we do not think twice before putting young children in single gender environments, such as all girls or all boys’ schools, during a time their bodies are changing and they may start viewing their own gender as objects of affection. Being in an all-boys school might not make anyone gay, but it could push anyone who is on the fence about their sexuality over the fence.
Add to that the fact that in many circles, cross-gender interaction is also limited outside of school, meaning that most boys may not interact with a girl they are not related to for days or weeks. Would that encourage them to respect women or only view them as sexual objects? Sit in an all-boys discussion and pay attention to the jokes. The results are usually quite obvious.
Homosexuality and premarital sex have existed since the early days of human existence, whether referring to religious or archaeological records; so really, the issue is only about social acceptance, tolerance, distaste, or outrage towards the subjects. Unfortunately, a substantial amount of the latter has forced ‘moral’ issues to dominate the life-and-death ones.
It is not just about a 1,000 women and the ones who fall ill due to complications, it is also about poverty, because in an overpopulated developing country, a booming birth rate can only bring misery, amongst other things, such as, draining public services and creating unemployment, which also serves as a tool for radicalisation.
Lest we forget, for many terrorists, being part of a terrorist group is a job, not a calling. A smaller, stable population would mean less unemployment and less stress on government services, which can only be a good thing. But who cares about that when two girls are kissing?
The use of abortion as a family planning tool and the low contraceptive usage rate suggest population growth can be controlled if measures are taken to improve contraceptive prevalence, but that would require drawing focus to the right issue.
As for the fake abortionist, some other details in the story seem to suggest that she was simply a gay woman with a violent streak, not untypical of Pakistani men. After all, most people, especially those that have lived on their own, would be smart enough to know that a ‘doctor’ does not invite you into their bedroom to show you their range of sex toys. Due to lack of awareness or interaction though, they might not know that gay people can be just as peaceful or violent as straight people.]]>Around 1,000 Pakistani women die every year because of abortion-related complications, and the procedure is often used as a primary family-planning method, rather than a last resort. This is because of a combination between low contraceptive prevalence, low sexual health awareness, unqualified or illegal medical practitioners and social taboos about topics related to sexuality.
So when a story comes along that allows broader debate on quack abortionists, it is worrying that the approach taken to covering it is one of religious and moral outrage at the ‘unusual’ sexual elements of the story, rather than the life-preserving element.
A recent story about an alleged fake abortion clinic in Islamabad was given ...Read Full Post]]>http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/26660/caught-in-islamabad-with-sex-toys-and-an-abortion-clinic-uh-oh/feed/30noreply@tribune.com.pk (Vaqas Asghar)gay fake abortionistThere was no effort put in to addressing why business is booming for such places, just a moral commentary on the ‘evils’ of homosexuality.